Key assembling machine



Dec. 15, 1936. M LLOW Y 2,063,927

KEY ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1934 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 15,1936. J HOLLOWAY 2,063,927

KEY ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYSPatented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEY ASSEMBLINGMACHINE Application July 6, 1934, Serial No. 734,060

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to a manually operated apparatus forsecuring keys to cans and has as an object the provision of a simpleapparatus which is portable, which places a key on the top of a manuallypositioned can and clinches it onto the cover seam by bending part ofthe key around the seam.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such an apparatuswherein the manual actuation of a foot treadle eifects the feeding ofindividual keys from a magazine to a pre-determined location on apositioned can and holds the key in place while clinching it to the can.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of an apparatus embodying the presentinvention, parts of which are broken away;

Fig. 2 is a combined front elevation and sectional view of the upperpart of the apparatus, the section being taken substantially along theline 22 in Fig. l with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 in Fig.1; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary part sectional views of the upper portionof Fig. 3 showing the parts in different positions.

The apparatus illustrated in the drawings as a preferred embodiment ofthe instant invention comprises a manually operated mechanism in which acan or container having a closed end is manually placed in verticalposition upon a table member in a centralizing pocket and in positionfor the reception of a key.

Here it is under a key positioning opening formed in an overhangingplate which carries a slide having a key shaped opening whichcommunicates with a magazine located on top of the plate. The magazineholds a stack of keys which have U-shaped hooked ends. The slide isactuated by a cam secured to a vertical rod which is pivotally connectedto a foot treadle. Manual actuation of the foot treadle performs aseries of operations which will now be described.

The first of these operations is. performed by the slide just mentioned.The slide serves as a feeding device which removes the lowermost key inthe stack from the magazine and transversely conveys it to the keypositioning opening where it falls vertically from the slide through theopening and drops on top of the can with its hooked end superimposedupon and overhanging the cover seam.

The slide then remains stationary while a holding device having an anvilblock moves into engagement With the key adjacent its hooked end andholds it in place. A clinching finger constituting a bending elementmoves simultaneously with the anvil block and comes into engagement withthe overhanging key hook bending it around the cover seam in a tightclinch.

The series of operations is concluded by the time the foot treadle isdown as far as it will go. Releasing the pressure on the treadle permitsthe various operating parts to return to their original positions.

The disclosed embodiment of the invention includes a main column ll(Fig. 3) which is supported on a base i2. The column supports thevarious working parts of the mechanism including a horizontal table H!which is adapted to support a can i5 on which an opening key may besecured.

The table projects laterally from the column and is formed as part of abracket I6. The bracket is provided with a hub H which encircles thecolumn and which is secured to it by a pin l8.

The can I5 has top and bottom cover members 2| preferably secured as bydouble seams 22 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5). Such a can is manually positioned onthe table in a pocket 24 formed in a centralizing plate 25 (see Fig. 1)which is secured to the top of the table by screws 26. A groove 21 iscut in the plate adjacent the lower edge of the pocket to accommodatethe bottom seam 22.

Plate 25 locates the can in a predetermined position on the table inrelation to a key shaped key positioning opening 29 formed in ahorizontal overhanging plate 3|. The overhanging plate is supported on abracket 32 which is formed with a hub 33. This hub encircles the columnI l above the hub I1 and is secured to it by a pin 34. The plate is alsoprovided with a substantially rectangular central opening 35 throughwhich parts of the apparatus extend and which communicates with the keypositioning opening 29.

Keys 3'1 are stacked within a magazine 4| which is supported by and issecured to the top of a cover plate 42 which in turn is screwed to thetop of the overhanging plate 3|. The cover plate partially covers thekey positioning opening in the plate 3!. The keys within the magazineextend parallel to and are a short distance from the key positioningopening.

Individual keys are moved from the bottom of the magazine to the keypositioning opening by a slide 44 having a key shaped slot 45 formed inone end. The slide is disposed beneath the cover plate 42 in a channel46 which is formed in the top of the plate 3 i. The slide in itsretracted position as shown in Fig. 1 aligns its slot 45 with the bottomof the magazine 4|. In this position the stack of keys rests on thebottom of the channel 46.

The thickness of the slide is substantially equal to the thickness ofone key so that the lowermost key is wholly within the slide slot withits hooked end extending from the side of the slide and projecting outinto the opening 35. Slide and key are now moved toward the keypositioning opening 22 by a lever arm, slide and cam mechanism whichwill now be explained.

A horizontal lever arm 48, mounted at one end on a stud 49 which isthreadedly engaged in the top of the plate 3!, overhangs the plate andextends toward the slide 44. The free end of the lever arm is disposedbetween and engages a pair of pins which are threadedly secured in thetop of the slide and which project up through an elongated slot 52formed in the cover plate 42.

Lever arm 48 is moved back and forth by an actuating slide 50 which islocated beneath the plate 3| and which is connected with the lever armby a pin 55. The pin is threadedly engaged in the top of the actuatingslide and extends up through an elongated slot 56 formed in the plate 3|and also projects into a slot 5'! formed in the lever arm near its pivotstud. Movement of the actuating slide pivots the lever arm which in turnmoves the slide 44,

Actuating slide 54 extends parallel with the slide 44 and slides withina pair of spaced bearings 58 which are secured to the bottom of theplate 3| by screws 59. Between the bearings the slide is enlarged in ahollow rectangular body having. a central opening 6|.

The actuating slide is moved by connection with a cam mechanism. Forthis purpose it carries a cam roller 63 which is horizontally disposedin the central opening of its body and which is mounted on a pin 64secured in the side walls of the body. The roller rides within a camslot 65 cut through a vertical cam plate 66 which is interposed in theslide opening BI and which extends up through the plate opening 35.

Raising and lowering of the cam is also under the direct control of theoperator and for this purpose the cam is secured by screws 68 to oneside of a vertically disposed rod 69. The rod extends through thecentral opening 6| of the actuating slide and also through a hole H cutin the table l4. At its lower end it is pivotally connected to a foottreadle 12 by a pin 13 which passes through the treadle intermediate itsends. One end of the treadle is pivotally mounted in a slot 14 formed inthe column H and is connected with a pivot stud 15. Its opposite endcarries a foot pad 76.

A spring Tl, interposed between the treadle and the bracket l6, holdstheformer in its unoperated or raised position as shown in Fig. 3. In thisposition, the rod 69 and cam 66 are also raised and the slides 54, 44are retracted, the slot 45 of the latter slide being in registrationwith the bottom of the key magazine as hereinbefore referred to.

When the slide and key are moved toward the key positioning opening 29,by the mechanism just described, the slide comes to rest with its slot25 in alignment with the key positioning opening which permits the keyto fall through the latter onto the top of the can with its hooked endoverhanging the projecting top can seam 22.

After the key is in position on the can the next step which takes placeis the holding of the key. This is immediately followed by a clinchingoperation which is effected by devices connected with the upper part or"the rod 69. For this purpose a key holding finger and anvil block 8!(Figs. 3, 4 and 5) is secured to the end of a lever 82 by a screw 83.The opposite end of the lever is pivoted on a stud 84 which is held inbearings 85 formed integrally with the column H and which project upfrom its top surface. A lug 86 formed on the lever 82 and extending onthe opposite side of the pivot stud engages with the top of the columnwhen the lever is in raised position and serves as a stop for the upwardmovement of the lever.

The upper end of the rod 69 passes through a slot 88 formed in the lever82 and is surrounded by a coiled spring 89 which is interposed between alock nut 9| threadedly engaging the end or the rod and a recessed collar82 which encircles the rod and is disposed on top of the lever coveringthe slot 88. The spring normally presses the lever down against abifurcated end of a link 94 which is slotted as at 95. The slotted endof the link engages a pin 96 which is carried by the rod 59 and whichprojects out from opposite sides. The other end of the link 94 is alsobifurcated and is pivoted to the sides of the block on a pin 9?.

As long as the treadle is in unoperated or raised position and the partsconnected therewith are shown in Fig. 3, the slotted end of the link 94is held against the bottom of the lever 82. When the foot treadle isdepressed the anvil block is lowered through the spring connection 39and a projection 98 formed on the bottom of the block moves intoengagement with the top of the key 3? just in back of its hooked end asshown in Fig. 4.

A depending lug 99 formed on the bottom of the lever 82 forms a limitstop for this key holding movement and strikes against the projectingend of a set screw l Si. The screw passes through and is threadedly heldin the upper end of the column :I being locked in adjusted position by alocknut During the descent of the anvil, the link 94 also moves down,being pivoted on its connection with the anvil and in so doing moves aclinching tool I65 toward the can and brings a toe-like projection I06adjacent the hooked end of the key. The tool Hi5 preferably is formedintegrally with the link 94 and depends from its bottom edge.

As the rod 69 is further lowered the link 94 is moved thereby downwardlyand away from the lever 82 as the spring 89 yields and its toe-likeprojection I06 engages and moves in the end of the key. This actionbends the end of the key around the can seam in a tight clinch as shownin Fig. 5. This completes the series of operations incident to placingand clinching the key in position on top of the can.

As the manual pressure on the foot lever is released the spring 17 liftsthe foot lever and the rod 69 and the clinching tool is drawn away fromthe can seam. This restores the various parts to their originalpositions. The can may now be manually removed.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material ad;- vantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for attaching opening keys to containers comprising incombination, a stationary support for holding and centering a container,a magazine for holding a supply of keys, a stationary plate associatedwith said magazine and having a key positioning opening in alignmentover said support, means reciprocable relative to said magazine forsuccessively delivering individual keys from said magazine into saidopening, the latter locating a key in attaching position on a containerpositioned on said support at one end of travel of said reciprocablemeans, and means reciprocable in a vertical direction for actuating saidkey delivering means.

2. An apparatus for attaching opening keys to containers comprising incombination, a stationary support for holding a container, a platehaving a key positioning opening in alignment over said support,centralizing means carried by said support for positioning a containerin alignment with said opening, means reciprocable over an end of apositioned container for successively delivering individual keys from asource of supply into said opening, the latter locating and insuring thepositioning of a delivered key in attaching position on a containerpositioned on said support and means reciprocable in a verticaldirection for actuating said key delivering means.

3. An apparatus for attaching opening keys to containers comprising incombination, a stationary support for holding a container, a magazinefor holding a supply of keys, a plate associated with said magazine andhaving a key positioning opening in alignment with said support, slidemeans for successively conveying and delivering individual keys fromsaid magazine to said opening, and vertically reciprocable means formoving said slide and a key into registration with said opening fordropping said key through said opening into a predetermined position ona located container resting on said support.

l. An apparatus for attaching opening keys to containers comprising incombination, a stationary support for holding a container, a magazinefor holding a supply of keys, a plate associated With said magazine andhaving a key positioning opening in alignment over said support, meansfor successively conveying individual keys from said magazine into saidopening, the latter locating and insuring proper positioning of a key inattaching position on a container positioned on said support, meansmovable relative to said key for holding the key in attaching positionprior to attaching the key to the. container, and bending elementsmovable with and operating at the conclusion of movement of said holdingmeans for clinching a part of said key to said container.

5. An apparatus for attaching opening keys to containers comprising incombination, a stationary support for holding a container, a magazinefor holding a supply of keys, a plate associated with said magazine andhaving a key positioning opening in alignment over said support, meansfor successively conveying individual keys from said magazine into saidopening, the latter locating and insuring proper positioning of a key inattaching position on a container positioned on said support, devicesfor holding the same on said container, and means moving with andoperable at the conclusion of movement of said holding means forclinching a part of said key to said container.

6. An apparatus for attaching opening keys to containers comprising incombination, a stationary support for holding a container, a magazinefor holding a supply of keys, a plate associated with said magazinehaving a key positioning opening in alignment over said support, meansfor successively conveying individual keys from said magazine into saidopening, the latter locating and permitting a key to fall in attachingposition on a container positioned on said support, devices movablerelative to the key for holding said key on said container, means movingwith and operable at the conclusion of movement of said holding meansfor clinching an end of said key to said container, and means foractuating said key holding devices and said bending elements in unison.

7. An apparatus for attaching opening keys to containers comprising incombination, a stationary support for holding a container, a magazinefor holding a supply of keys, a plate associated with said magazine andhaving a key positioning opening in alignment over said support, meansfor successively delivering individual keys from said magazine into saidopening, the latter 1ocating a key in attaching position on a containerpositioned on said support, devices for holding said key on saidcontainer, bending elements operative with and at the conclusion ofmovement of said holding devices for clinching an end of said key tosaid container, and common means for actuating said key deliveringmeans, key holding devices and said bending elements in successive orderrespectively.

8. An apparatus for attaching opening keys to containers comprising incombination, a stationary table for supporting a container having aprojecting cover seam, a plate having a key positioning opening therein,means mounted on said table for locating said container under saidopening and in alignment therewith, slide devices for individuallyconveying keys, having one end formed in a hook, into alignment withsaid opening for dropping said key through said opening and intoposition on the top of said container with said hook end overhangingsaid projecting cover seam, devices for holding said key in appliedposition, and bending elements movable with and operable at theconclusion of movement of said holding devices for clinching said hookend around said projecting seam.

9. An apparatus for attaching opening keys to containers comprising incombination, a stationary table for supporting a container, centeringmeans on said table for centering and maintaining said containerstationary in key receiving position on said table, and interconnectedmeans successively operable to first position a key on said stationarycontainer and then secure the same in position without moving saidcontainer from the centering station.

10. An apparatus for attaching opening keys to containers comprising incombination, a stationary table for supporting a container, means forpositioning said container onsaid table, a plate having an openinglocated over said table, slide devices for individually delivering keysto said opening by means of which the delivered keys are placed by asingle movement of said slide devices in key attaching position on thecontainers, devices for holding said keys in attaching position, bendingelements for securing an end of a said placed key to said container, andmeans movable in a single direction for successively actuating saidfeeding devices, said holding devices and said bending elements.

JAMES M. HOLLOWAY.

